A good start to Q3, chance of Brexit “no deal” falls

The first activity surveys for July should provide a final bit of encouragement to the MPC to raise interest rates at its meeting next Thursday. Elsewhere, the EU’s Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, ruled out key components of the Government’s Brexit proposals this week. But there does at least seem to have been a bit of progress made towards a backstop solution for Northern Ireland, reducing the chances of a “no deal” exit in March 2019.